Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington Oct. 3, 2002
(Phone: 202/358-1600)
Catherine Frymark
Discovery Networks, Bethesda, Md.
(Phone: 301/771-5938)
RELEASE: 02-192
NASA'S HISTORIC RETURN TO HUBBLE
LAUNCHES THE SCIENCE CHANNEL'S FALL SEASON
Four times, NASA astronauts have serviced the Hubble
Space Telescope. Each mission left the orbiting observatory
better, stronger, and with sharper vision to scan the
universe.
The heroic efforts of NASA's latest servicing mission to
Hubble will be featured on the newly revamped The Science
Channel a Discovery Digital Network on Monday, October 7 at
8 p.m. EDT. Formerly known as Discovery Science Channel, the
network has a new name, and spotlights its fall schedule with
the dramatic mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia and STS-
109 with the world premiere of "Return to Hubble."
The Science Channel program features dramatic interviews with
the seven astronauts who risked their lives to rendezvous
with, and repair, Hubble in March 2002. This one-hour special
journeys into space with Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Duane
Carey and Mission Specialists Jim Newman, Mike Massimino,
Nancy Currie, Rick Linnehan and John Grunsfeld.
Dubbed by some as "Mission: Impossible," the crew on STS-109
faced a difficult and comprehensive overhaul of what has
become an icon of astronomy since its launch in 1990. For
more than a decade, Hubble has been the source of some of the
most breathtaking imagery of our universe as well as
groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
"Hubble is a marvelous blending of human and machine
capabilities unmatched in history," said Dr. Ed Weiler,
Associate Administrator for Space Science at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. "The space telescope was the
product of the best minds in science and engineering,
designed to reveal the most distant objects in the universe
and provide the sharpest views of the cosmos ever seen.
Because of the superb efforts of the Astronauts and the
capabilities of the Space Shuttle, Hubble has been able to
fulfill that vision."
Through in-depth coverage of the mission, "Return to Hubble"
brings you closer than ever to the events that make up a real
space mission. The program features exclusive one-on-one
interviews with each member of the crew, who in their own
words takes you through every detail of their incredible
story.
In addition, dramatic onboard and "helmet-cam" footage puts
you in the center of the action, showing in a very personal
way the dangers and challenges of this extraordinary mission.
"Since deploying the Hubble Space Telescope a decade ago, the
human space flight team has been proud of its role in the
previous four servicing missions while enabling the space
science community to unravel the mysteries of the universe,"
said Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight
William Readdy. " We look forward to continuing this
relationship that enables world class research and
discovery."
"Return to Hubble" also features interviews with Hubble
scientists and engineers all of whom shed light on the
science behind the mission.
Discovery Digital Networks, owned by Discovery Networks,
includes The Science Channel, Discovery Home & Leisure
Channel, Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Civilization
Channel, Discovery Wings Channel and Discovery en Espanol.
Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery Communications,
Inc., also operates and manages the Discovery Channel, TLC,
Animal Planet, the Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel
and Discovery HD Theater
Additional information about the Hubble Space Telescope, the
Space Shuttle and the mission of STS-109 is available on the
Internet at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-
109/index.html
http://hubble.nasa.gov/
http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro.html
http://science.discovery.com
http://science.discovery.com/tuneins/spaceweek.html
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